


Chickens

by melennui



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, cutesy bullshit, shane is a soft boy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 05:08:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28665231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melennui/pseuds/melennui
Summary: “What, so you don’t want help?” He grumbled, voice still breathy.The woman couldn’t help the tightening in her chest when she thought about being left alone to stumble back home. Doctor Harvey would have been happy to help, but she really couldn’t afford his care at that point in time, what with her main income being something rather life threatening.“No! I do want help.” She burst out. Shane blinked, slowly and deliberately.
Relationships: Shane/Female Player (Stardew Valley), Shane/Player (Stardew Valley)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 62





	Chickens

**Author's Note:**

> i didn't know what to name this, and thus, chickens.

**Florence**

She didn’t mean to overdue it in the mines; she never _meant_ to. It was always hard to avoid, however. With slimes charging at her from every direction and a persnickety ghost tugging at her hair, it was hard to find time for a breather. When she finally dragged herself out of the hellscape known as the mines, the poor woman was missing a large portion of her loot and her left pant leg. 

What made it worse was the sound of the heavy breathing coming from by the lake. Florence’s mind raced. Sebastian wasn’t usually out on Thursday nights and Demitrius didn’t stay out this late. She held up her lantern with her uninjured arm as she hobbled along the dirt path, panting. 

“Hello?” She called out into the void, voice only wavering slightly. 

“Florence?” A bewildered and out of breath masculine voice replied, before appearing right in front of the woman. Shane stood, awkwardly hunched over and in a stained tank top and basketball shorts, clearly exerted. He tugged his earbuds out, concern drawn over his shadowy face. “Are you alright? Why are you out here?”

“Why are you out jogging this late?” She accused back, more insults on the tip of her tongue before she realized the man could actually be of help to her.

The purple haired man scoffed, trying to cover up his embarrassment for exercising, which Florence immediately felt guilty for. 

“What, so you don’t want help?” He grumbled, voice still breathy. 

The woman couldn’t help the tightening in her chest when she thought about being left alone to stumble back home. Doctor Harvey would have been happy to help, but she really couldn’t afford his care at that point in time, what with her main income being something rather life threatening. 

“No! I do want help.” She burst out. Shane blinked, slowly and deliberately, before speaking up.

“Well, you haven’t called Harvey for an emergency, so I assume you want me to do something about it?”

“I mean, I can just- I probably have things at home- and-”

The man straightened up a little, offering a hand to the farmer. “I’m messing with you, I can help. Do you have a first aid kit and you farm? It’s closer than the ranch.”

Florence just nodded, the hand carrying the lantern shaking ever so slightly, and took the hand. Shane pocketed his phone and earbuds and snaked his arm under the farmer’s to stabilize her.

“I’m all sweaty and grimy.” She warned. Shane snorted, seemingly still trying to cover up his humiliation of being ‘caught’. 

The town drunk didn’t pull away like Florence expected. “You realize I’ve been running on loose dirt trails? As long as you don't mind me that much, I couldn’t be bothered.”

“I don’t mind you.” She parroted as Shane helped her down the roads. It took a decent amount of time for the two of them to make it to Florence’s sad, rundown shack, but they made it without casualties, and that was a win in the farmer’s book. 

The Joja employee sat the woman down on the single wooden dining chair and turned to catch his breath.

“The kit is in the mirror in the bathroom.” She set her lantern down and pointed towards the slightly ajar door. Shane returned quickly, washcloth and kit in tow. 

“Alright, what am I cleaning?” The man asked, surprising Florence with the softness in his voice.

“Uh, well, there’s a gash in this arm from a skeleton,” She limply waved it. “And my calves are scraped up, but everything is surface level. Just painful. Uhm, and my hip is bleeding too, but I couldn’t tell you why.”

Shane whistled, already kneeling down to wash the debris from her lower legs.

“God, my knees.” He groaned, joints creaking as he moved. 

“Tell me about it.” She agreed.

“You’re like, nineteen, you don’t get to complain.”

“I’m twenty-nine! We’re the same age!” She protested, hissing when he gently rubbed antiseptic on her smallest injuries.

Shane hummed quietly. “We can’t all look like spring chickens.” He said, seriously, lost in concentration. Florence giggled a little at that. A shy smile tugged at Shane’s lips, and the farmer couldn’t help but to do the same. 

Florence closed her eyes as the man moved on to her arm.

“Are you sure this doesn’t need stitches?” Shane asked. “Because I am so not the person to be stitching it up.”

The farmer cleared her throat. “No, it’s fine. I’ve had worse.”

“What are you doing in the mines, anyways?”

She sucked in a breath to avoid crying out from the wound being cleaned out a little less gently than before. “Gathering ores and gems, sometimes artifacts. It helps my profits.”

Shane playfully clicked his tongue. “Sacrificing your health for money? Shameful.”

“Where have I heard that before?” Florence hummed. Shane huffed, smiling in response. 

“Thanks, by the way.” Florence bobbed her head as one of her wounds were accidentally brushed against, her throat momentarily seizing. “For helping me out. I really appreciate it.”

The chicken farmer set down the first aid equipment. “You’d do the same thing for me. I mean, you _have_ done the same thing for me.”

The woman sighed in relief once Shane put away the items.

“You probably want to go home now, huh. Sorry I kept you up so late.” Florence sounded sheepish.

“Well, what if you get sick from an infection or something? Would you even call Harvey at that point?”

The farmer paused. “How about we watch a movie, then you can sleep on the couch, if it eases your mind?”

Shane nodded. “My back won’t thank me, but my conscience will.”

“I have the Whumbus prequel. Do you want to watch that?” Florence was stood by a small cabinet by her television, flipping through a booklet of CDs.

“Yoba, _yes_.”

.

Florence woke up on her own couch, next to a snoring, purple haired man. The TV was on, but not playing anything.

“Holy balls.” She groaned, whole body sore from the previous day’s mine trip. The brunet peeled herself off of the cheap couch and stretched, before making her way to where her watering can sat. The noise woke up Shane.

“Goo’ mernin.” He grumbled. “M’th’r f’ck’r, mah back.”

Florence laughed lightly. “That would probably be from carrying me last night. Or sleeping on the couch.”

“Whuh, you’re doing work already? Aren’t you self employed?”

The woman lifted up her watering can, waving it a little. “Yah. I’m a farmer, I have to water my crops and feed my animals. Would you like to see the chickens?”

The man’s eyes lit up.

It only took twenty minutes for both individuals to wake up and set out onto the farm, where Shane beelined it for the coop. Florence joined him once she finished watering her produce.

“You slippery fuck-” Shane was holding two chickens in one arm like child and grasping for one that was running away. He froze, mortified when the woman caught him.

“Are you man-handling my chickens?” She asked, hand on her hip and lips pursed to stop herself from chuckling.

Shane shifted the birds in his arms. “I am. What’s it to you?”

The pair laughed and Florence picked up the ornery poultry, cooing at it as it tried to peck at her.

“Sorry for riling your chickens up.” The man rubbed the back of his neck, setting down the chickens. The other waved her hand, unconcerned.

“I like having someone around the farm.”

There was a pause. “You know, I really like it here. In Pelican Town; in Stardew. You really have the life here, huh.”

Florence studied Shane’s face. “I do. You could have it too, Shane. I told you I already like having you around. In fact, take that as an invitation to work here with me. You don’t need to move if you don’t want to, but helping me with the animals? I would love that.”

“What… really?”

“I’d be overjoyed to have you here. I won’t be heartbroken if you don’t want to, but the offer stands. I know you haven’t been able to work since Joja’s been gone.”

“Jas would love to have new bows, and if I worked…” Shane stood tensely, thinking over his options.

The woman fed the chickens and pat them on the head as they scurried around her.

Finally, Shane looked at the farmer, determination replacing his nervous stature. “I’d love to.”

**Bonus Scene**

Cat Lynn’s paws hung over the porch steps, lazily watching Florence and Shane water the plants, sweaty and panting from their labor. The cat groomed it’s delicate skin as Shane tripped over a baby goat roaming the farm.

“Oh-! Are you alright?” The farmer rushed up to her boyfriend, worried over him as he groaned. He lifted his head, covered in damp soil.

“After this, I’m taking a bath.”

Florence laughed, taking his hand and hoisting him back up. Shane smacked his hands on his rough jeans and continued their morning tasks.

Once finished, the man stretched and made his way to the bathroom inside the farmhouse. Florence trailed behind, ready to wash her hands and cook breakfast (it was her turn that week).

“What are you doing- get out!” Shane sounded startled when Florence tried to enter the bathroom behind him.

“I have to wash my hands!” She raised her rough palms to her boyfriend.

Shane just shook his head and pointed out the door. “Wash your hands in the kitchen. I need to shower.”

“What, I can wash my hands while you shower. Don’t tell me you’re shy.”

The purple haired man sighed. “I just...” He sighed again. “...have all of this loose skin, and I feel a little, I don’t know, punchy about it.” He cracked a smile and Florence laughed a little.

“You feel insecure.” She corrected lightly. Shane visibly drew back. “There’s nothing wrong with it.” She amended. “I’ve already seen it before, and if anything, it just shows progress. Just pretend I’m not here.”

The chicken farmer pursed his lips, but nodded and pulled off his muddy shirt. He wasn’t near as fit back in his days of Gridball and weight training, but he had started to develop a sort of leaner muscle that he wasn’t accustomed to.

True to her promise, Florence washed her hands and left, closing the door behind her to start the careful craft of putting together an omelet. Shane couldn’t help but to grin in satisfaction. He felt fine, even if she caught a few glimpses of him in the nude.

It wasn’t just Shane changing as the two grew closing in their relationship. Florence had become significantly less reckless than she had been before. It sounded silly, but there was more at stake when she was in the mines. It didn’t help that the second time she needed Shane’s help after being injured, he threatened not to help again. Well, in the long run, it did help.

With Florence spending less time healing after disastrous bouts in the mines (and having an extra hand to help), profits were phenomenal. The house had multiple rooms, with one even for Jas to stay the night. 

Once Shane had dried his hair and threw on some clean clothes, he found his girlfriend at the table, reading a letter.

“Oh, hey love. My mom sent some cookies, want one?”

“Ooh, yes please.” He grabbed one and crouched behind Florence to read the card. She playfully swatted at him but didn’t argue.

“Breakfast is on the stovetop, by the way.”

Shane kissed Florence’s cheek and grabbed a plate for himself. “Thank you.”

“The pleasure is mine.” She grinned.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed my little oneshot. i dont like writing m/f usually, but this was kinda fun.


End file.
